We''re not debating the content of the article. Will busy business people - on a mission to solve their challenges - read marketing content if it''s more than a page? White papers, typically 4-8 pages, consistently take the top honor for most desired content in the annual Eccolo Media survey and in many others. In this age of content marketing, they want content.

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STORIES THAT SELL

SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

[Content] Supercharge Your Sales Conversations with Story

Digging for potential story content is StoryMining , and anything can be considered: your past experiences, product success stories, borrowed stories from teammates, and of course, those case studies your marketing team gave you. A guest post by Andrew Nemiccolo. We hear a lot these days about the importance of storytelling in business – especially for sales people. You get the idea.

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STORIES THAT SELL[Content] The Risk of Stripping Down Customer Case Studies

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MARCH 21, 2014
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STORIES THAT SELL[Content] This Case Study Trend is HUGE

Audiences want "snackable" content. What's new with customer stories and where are we headed? That's the question I recently asked Erica Hansen, director of customer engagement at Projecline. The fast-growing marketing services firm has built a solid reputation by assisting companies like Microsoft with customer references and evidence. With five offices in the U.S. How about you?

Customer testimonials and case studies lead the list of most effective content marketing tactics, according to the newly released B2B Content Marketing Survey for 2013. The survey asked members of the 50,000+ B2B Technology Marketing Community on LinkedIn about what''s working, who creates content and what kinds, and how marketers measure results. It makes sense. How about you?

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STORIES THAT SELL

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

[Content] How HP Case Studies Cater to Readers and Skimmers

And remember, prospective customers aren't just reading your content online. Over and over, we hear that most buyers don't really read marketing copy, but rather skim it. So how does that affect the way you present customer stories? First, that may not always be true. Some skim while others want to read more. On a web summary, do the same. Skimmers have all the info they need right there.

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STORIES THAT SELL

JUNE 28, 2011

[Content] The Resume is Dead: The (Story) Bio is King

Note from Casey Hibbard:While I’m out on maternity leave until the end of July, this blog will feature a summer guest blogger series with content from experts in marketing, organizational storytelling and writing. By Michael Margolis. Gone are the days of “Just the facts, M’am.” Instead we’re all trying to suss each other out in the relationship economy. How do we relate to each other?

So what content should be "curtained?" It’s a tough balance that marketers face, giving away some content freely and requiring registration to access other things. You’re balancing drawing people to your content-rich website with trying to capture names as lead sources. But do case studies really belong in the category of locked content? They fall more into the realm of content to give away, as you would product datasheets and brochures. Site visitors could read or download stories freely, without having to provide any information.
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We all work hard to create attractive content. Each year, I look forward to The Eccolo Media B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report , which opens the lid on how B2B technology buyers consume marketing content. The survey asked about multiple types of content: - White papers. That list alone shows the diversity of marketing content that buyers consume. Case studies are just behind white papers among most influential collateral types. "Share This" buttons make content seem more valuable. But just how useful is it in actually influencing buyers? Video.
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And site after site I got stopped on the threshold – unable to access content without first filling out a registration form. In their journeys of seeking new solutions and service providers, prospects also don’t expect or want to arrive at a locked door - especially for content that markets a vendor''s solution. For major purchases in the B2B world, marketing content helps buyers in their journeys (the sales funnel) by drawing them in with valuable insight and resources. Locked. Let''s suppose, for a moment, that you''re in the market for a new car. 10 fields!
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Types of Sound Bites: Stick with emotional content sound bites versus complicated factual bites. People seem SO articulate on television, right? News flash: We’re not including Honey Boo Boo here.) Flip on the Amazing Race, Real Housewives, or the Voice - and you rarely see any of the characters stumble, stutter, or slur. In fact, they keep us on the edge of our seats with their riveting sound bites. Truth – these people are rarely this articulate in real life. Not to mention patience. Here are some guidelines before interviewing your satisfied customers: 1. Excited?
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[Content] The Ugly Duckling of Case Studies – The “Not-for-Public-Use” Story

For companies wanting to leverage the rich content of a non-public case for public use, there''s always the option of removing the name and any other identifying info. I have a not-quite-two-year-old, and thus, spend a lot of time reading nursery rhymes and fairly tales. Most of these catchy or intriguing little stories pre-date our great-great-grandparents, but the lessons are still valid today. Take the story of the Ugly Duckling, a tale released by Hans Christian Andersen in 1843. The ugly duckling, which was mocked when young, grew up to be the most beautiful swan of them all.
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[Content] Remember, and Be More Memorable – with StoriesSTORIES THAT SELL |
TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2011

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